Electric signaling apparatus



(No Model.) J: P. COLEMAN.

I ELEGTRIOSIGNALING APPARATUS.

( o. 402,562. Patented May '7, 1889.

- INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT QEFICE.

JOHN PEEssLE COLEMAN,'.OF sWIssvAIjE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,562, dated May 7,1889.

Application filed March 10, 1888. Serial No. 266,806. (No model.)

To all whormit may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN PRESSLEY COLE- MAN, of Swissvale, in the countyof Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Electric Signaling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of thisspecification, in which--" V Figure 1 is a side view of asemaphore-signal and of the electrical slot whereby the operativemechanism is connected with and disconnected from the semaphore. Fig. 2is an enlarged side view of the slot, showing it as it is when the partsare moved by break of the electric circuit, so as to prevent thesemaphore from being removed from the danger position. Fig. 4 is asimilar view showing the parts as they are when the signal is inv itsnormal position and is capable of being moved into a position indicatingsafety.

'Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section on the line sists of mechanismoperated electrically from a distance, either automatically by action ofa passing train, or otherwise, so that when there is a break in theelectrical circuit in which the slot is included the parts are so movedthat the semaphore is brought automatically into a danger position andthe connection with the mechanically-operating parts of the semaphore isdisjoined, so that it cannot be brought again into a position indicatingsafety until the electric circuit is again established. This system ofsignaling is one which is well understood, and as my invention relatesonly to the apparatus con stituting the slot, it will not be necessarythat I should further describe the system of which it forms a part.

In the drawings, 2 represents a semaphoresignal, which is pivoted at 3to an upright post, 4. The short arm of the semaphore is provided with aweight, 5, which tends to bring it into a horizontal position,indicating danger. In order to lower the semaphore into adownwardly-inclined position, indicat ing safety, it is provided with arod or link, 6, which at its upper end is attached to the short arm ofthe semaphore and at the lower end is attached to a lever, 7, which ispivoted on a fulcrum, 8, and which, in the manner hereinafter to beexplained, is under certain conditions movable vertically. The other endof the lever 7 is connected by a link, 12,with a weighted lever, 9, towhich are attached the chains or wires 10 and 11, by which thesemaphore-signal is mechanically operated. When the pivot or fulcrum 8is held fixed, the oscillation of the lever 9 by means of the wires 10and 11 causes the lever 7 to rock on the fulcrum 8, and therebydepresses or raises the semaphore accordingly as the chain 11 or 10 ispulled. When, however, the fulcrum 8 is not fixed, but is freelymovable, there is nothing to resist motion of the semaphore, whichaccordingly moves on its pivot into the horizontal danger position, andthe oscillations of the lever 7 in response to pulls on the chains 10and 11 are on the fulcrum of the pivot 13, which connects the lever withthe link 6, and do not produce any motion of the semaphore-arm. I shallnow describe the means whereby the fulcrum of this lever is controlled.

14 is a pair of electro-magnets set in a suitable covered case, B, fixedto the post 4. The armature 15 of these magnets is pivoted atthe end ofthe longer arm of .a bell-crank lever, 16, whose fulcrum is at 17 andwhose shorter arm is pivotally attached to a rod, 18, which is connectedwith the lever 7 by the fulcrumpin 8. The purpose of connecting thearmature to the end of the lever 16 by a pivotal connection is to permitthe armature to adjust itself accurately to its seat on the magnets.

Fig. 4 shows the parts as they are when the armature 15 is in contactwith the magnets 14, and is held there by the electric current excitingthe magnets. In such case, the fulcrum 17 being so close to the line ofstrain of the rod 18, the attractive force of the magnets is suflicientto prevent the oscillation of the lever 7 from moving the pivotal point8 and IOC to cause the force of such oscillation to be ex- A erted inmoving the rod 6 and in shifting the semaphore on its pivot. Suppose,however, the circuit through the magnets 14 is interrupted from anycause whatever, either by a hand circuit-breaker or by an automaticdevice on the track operated by moving trains. The efiect of this is todemagnetize the magnets 1% and to release the armature 15, and if thesemaphore is then in a safety position, there being nothing to resistits rise into a horizontal position, the weight 5 causes the semaphoreto rise to indicate danger and at the same time shifts the pivot 8 andunseats the armature 15 from the magnets 14, as shown in Fig. 2. Thenany movement of the wires 10 or 11 simply rocks the lever 7 on thefulcrum 13 and moves the pivot-pin 8 up and down without affecting thesemaphore, which remains at danger. As soon, however, as the circuit isagain established through the electro-magnets 14, the first upwardmotion of the rod 18 brings the armature 15 into contact with themagnets, and, the pivot 8 being then fixed, the next pull on the wire 11will cause the lever 7 to swing on the center 8 and to operate thesemaphore.

In order to cause the armature to seat on the magnets 14 with certainty,I part the rod 18 and fix on one part a hollow box,19,within which theother part works telescopically, and inside the box 19, hearing on theend of the lower part of the rod 18, I place a spring, 20. This gives asmall amount of loose motion to the lower part of the rod 18,which isexerted on the lever 16 and causes the armature to seat with greatsecurity. In order. to provide a buffer to deaden the shock of thesudden movement of the semaphore from safety to danger, consequent onbreaking the electric circuit, I arrange a spring, 21, at the bottom ofthe rod 18 and set on the spring a capplate, against which a shoulder,22, on the rod strikes when the rod drops. (See Fig. 2.) This spring maybe otherwise arranged.

I claim 1. In an electric signaling apparatus, the combination, with theelectro-magnet, its armature, and a rod, 18, which connects the armaturewith the mechanism of the apparatus, said rod being arranged to have aloose or yielding motion and provided with a spring for the purpose ofseating the armature with safety, substantially and for the purposesdescribed.

2. In an electric signaling apparatus, the combination, with the signal,its operatingrod 6, and a lever whereby the rod is moved vertically, ofa spring placed to receive the impact of dropping of the rod,substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of March,A. D. 1888.

JOHN PRESSLEY COLEMAN.

Witnesses:

"W. B. CORWIN, THOMAS W. BAKEWELL.

